From: Becki Blumer Subject: Fanfiction Submision: It Just a Matter of Time Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1998 12:37:17 +0000 Meredith D. Holt beckihblumer@fuse.net Its Just A Matter of Time Summary: Michael Garibaldi takes time to remember his beloved wife on the anniversary of her death, and finds some comfort in an old Minbari phrase. Hello, Its 5:02 am. I haven't slept all night. This story is probably the only sober thing I've written, since my normally twisted mind isn't functioning properly. Or maybe this story is twisted and I'm too tired to see it. Maybe I need to get my head looked at. Anyway, this story is set in my 'On Winds of Time' Universe, so if you haven't read that, you might be a bit confused. But this story can stand on its own. Here goes. Love Always, Meredith Its Just A Matter of Time By Meredith D. Holt beckihblumer@fuse.net Michael Garibaldi's consciousness drifted back to the land of the living, interrupting the pleasant dreams he'd been having as the blaring of the alarm registered in his mind. "Shut up!" he yelled at the unknowing computer. Michael rolled over, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed, and landing them on the cold wood floor. The cold spot on the other side of the bed surprised him for a second, then it didn't. Talia had been dead for eleven years, why hadn't it sunken in yet? Somedays, it seemed like she should be here when he got home, or that he would wake up with her hair in his face. His ninety four year old body groan in protest as he tried to drag himself out of the bed. He checked his messages, one from Sati Delenn, one from Eve Allan, Zak's daughter, and one from each of his daughters. They had remembered that today was that day. He opened the first one, it was from his eldest daughter, the only child he had by his first wife Lise. Leslie's face appeared on screen, not at all resembling her mother's, except for the coloring. "Hi Papi. I wanted to let you know that I'm on planet for the next week or so, picking up some important papers from President Holt-Stargate, you know, Estara's usual; 'Can't trust the couriers bit'. Anyway, I thought you might want to have dinner with me, and I'd sure like to come by and visit. Let me know. Love 'ya. Bye." Michael shook his head, his eldest lacked the finesse Lise had possessed, she was more like her father than anything else. Michael sighed as he dressed, that probably won't have happened if Lise hadn't of died when Leslie was three. Of course, those thoughts brought him back to Talia. His Talia. She had raised Leslie like her own, loved her like no other mother could, even when their own daughter, Amia came. The second message, was of course, from Amia. Unlike Leslie's calm message, Amia's had a great deal more back round noise. The sounds of 'mommy, mommy, Centia did this' and 'Gerra, stop it!' could be heard as Amia yelled at them to be quiet. As she turned to the screen, Michael was struck with fresh wonder how much the child looked like her mother. Amia had the same beautiful blonde hair and stunning blue eyes, and the curves to go with them, as Talia had. "Hello, Papi. I know that you must be feeling lonely today, and I just wanted to let you know we still cared. Lesy said she's in town, so we can probably all have dinner together, if these ragamuffins will co-operate. Look, I gotta go", she said as something the back round broke, "Love you." Michael decided he'd respond later, he wanted to go to the Cemetery first. He picked up the bunch of pink roses on his way out. Pink had been Talia's favorite. Today, today was the Anniversary of Talia's death. ---------- Michael wandered amongst the shines and graves, searching out the pink marble angel that marked his late wife's earthly resting place. The gray Minbari morning air seemed to promise rain later on, as Michael sniffed the dewy air. It seemed like it was always wet on Minbar. He sat for a long while, just remembering her, the years they'd been apart, and finally, their reunion about B-5, when she had been freed of the alternate persona. Lise had still been living then, and she and Talia had been fast friends. Michael's anger flared as he remembered whose fault Talia's death was. Bester. It always came down to Bester. The alternate persona had left permanent damage in her brain that had gone unnoticed due to all the abnormalities of its workings. She had died of terminal neuro paralysis. A very nasty and painful way to die. Michael tried to think about the happy times, but Bester had surfaced, and of course, that brought thoughts of Leslie to the fore. Leslie had married that bastard's son. Though the boy was nothing like his father, having been raised by a foster mother, he was still the evil Psi Cops son, and it had been all Michael could do to get over that and accept him and the daughter he and Leslie produced. Carol Michelle was a wonderful woman, with children of her own now. Finally, he got up, and wandered back towards the crystal lined streets, and the shuttle dock it would lead him to. But he stopped as he saw the familiar figure of Aleia Holt-Stargate Chudomo. She was dressed in deep blue, of course, the Minbari mourning color. That was all she wore anymore. Her husband, Lennier, had died a decade ago, and Aleia visited his grave everyday morning since. If there was ever an example of a pure, perfect love, then Lennier and Aleia's had to be it. Michael had envied the Minbari once, even coveted his wife, but he had made his peace long ago. What amazed him was Aleia's capacity for forgiveness, even after had tried to rape her (under Bester's influence, or course.), and then formed a child out of their DNA out of spite. Jessica Sarah Garibaldi had been a thorn in Lennier's heart for a long time, since his wife insisted on helping raise the child that was hers and not his. Michael often wondered at her, and how she had survived so. He sometimes felt guilty for some of her suffering, especially the disappearance of her eldest daughter by Lennier. Cole had runaway when she was sixteen, because of tension between her father, her uncle Mickey, her and Jessica. It seemed as if Bester insisted on trying to ruin his life. He walked over to where she knelt by the grave, silently tracing the letters etched in the crystal, remembering. As she tried to get up to quick, her eighty four year-old body decided it was too quick and Michael clasped her hand in his to keep her from falling down again. "Thanks, Mickey." she murmured as she dusted her skirts off. Together the two of them, lost souls, walked towards the shuttle dock as the soft Minbari rain began to fall. And in the cemetery, the lights by two special graves in particular glowed brighter. One day, they would all be together in the place where no shadows fall. It was just a matter of time.